Isn't it Wonderful?
by The 483
Summary: Taking off sometime right after the end of the Anime, we follow Asa and Rin as their budding relationship takes off, and how they relate to the other girls in the series. Hopefully just a fun a bluffly little piece, maybe with some racy content later, if it seems like it will flow naturally, and if I can keep it at the teen rating.


_Shuffle: Isn't it wonderful?_

_By: The 483_

_Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to the Shuffle Franchise._

_**Spoiler Alert: Warning: Light to mild spoilers for the Anime and the Visual Novels may be included herein.**_

_**Alright. Just a quick note here. Most of this, while in the third person, will be more anchored to the mind of Asa Shigure, reflecting the tint of her thoughts, then the others. There is at least one exception, but I think it is pretty clear, but if not the last paragraph is NOT from Asa's point of view.**_

_**Also, this is my first attempt to play around with the Japanese Honorific speech forms, so I apologize if it makes no sense in the text, as I was also very, very selective of who was using them and where. I watched the Anime dubbed, so many of them were not used in the speech, so please bear with me where I did include them.**_

_**Thanks ~ Management.**_

**Blushing and Bruises**

Asa Shigure's eyes slowly opened, and she checked the digital readout on her alarm clock. 5:25 A.M. A full 5 minutes before the damned device would start telling her it was time to face the day. But this was not right. She almost never woke up before she absolutely had to, which meant that something was wrong. Her eyes rolled slowly along the familiar contours of her room, still dark in the pre-dawn. No, it wasn't a noise that woke her; the house was silent, and her mother didn't rise until she did. So, what then? She ran a mental check of her body.

Arms? No, no problem there or with her hands. Legs and feet? All good. No abnormalities in her stomach, and her chest felt light and clear. She felt her forehead, and it was fine outside a crease left from where she had lay across the zipper of her pillowcase, no fever. So, then, what the hell was wrong? Her brow knitted in frustration as she tried to figure out the problem. Then it clicked.

That was it! The problem was... that there was no problem! She sat up, and switched off her alarm circuit, stretched, and stood in the dark. Nothing. No muscle ache or fatigue, no throbbing in her bones. No fire in the pit o her stomach, no itch behind her eyes, no irregular flutters in her heart, no wheeze in her lungs, no dizzy weave when she moved. She was functioning at 100%. She took a step, and revised that to 90%, and made a fast trot the bathroom down the hall, bare feet clapping rapidly on the wooden floor. A minute later an a liter and a half lighter, she was back up to full steam. And that was the odd part, she thought with a savage grin as she returned toward her room. She raised a fist, and struck twice with the flat of it on her mother's door as she passed, noting the light on under it, letting her mother know she was up. Ama Shigure, if she was up early, tended to her own affairs rather than chance waking her daughter up. It had only been a week since Asa had come home from the hospital, and aside from a tendency toward mild crabbiness, seemed no different than her normal, buoyant self. But, Ama, ever the doting mother, took no chances where he baby was concerned, and did not chance interfering with her rest.

Back in her room, Asa stretched experimentally, still in the pitch dark, yawning heavily, and waiting for some lance of pain, weakness of joint, or fogging of senses, but nothing occurred. An unbearable swelling lifted her chest, and she had to fight to keep tears out of her eyes. She wanted to scream with relief, but held herself rigidly still while the strong emotion swept her fragile body.

For the first time in longer then she could remember, there was no pain when she woke. A tear finally managed to break through her defense, and rolled happily down her cheek to her chin. She let out a half chuckle, half elated sob, hitched a deep breath, and began to strip off her night clothes.

Due to her odd parentage, Asa was borne of the seed of a human, and the egg of a devil, and had, as a result, been born with the magic's of a devil in the body of a human. As she had grown, this magic, unsuited to the frail human form it was contained in, played hell with her and resulted in everything from fainting spells, to physical weakness, to crippling, agonizing pain. Unbeknownst to her, this was not the product of an average human/devil crossing, which people like her schoolmate Mayumi Thyme was, who's only difference from a normal human were her different colored eyes. (Or, if Itsuki Midoriba were consulted would add, "and abnormally small bust measurement," although that was not conclusively a product of the crossing.)

But Ama was not normal, even by Devil standards, as she had been a voluntary test subject in joint Devil/God research attempting to create a more powerful magical being. So, as a child in severe pain constantly, Asa had been resentful of her mother when she was small, cursing her mother for the horrible body she had inherited. She had eventually grown out of it, and looked in horror at how she had treated the woman who cared more for her then anything in the world. She blamed the evil magic that ate at her, and vowed to never accept the terrible thing that had caused her to give her mother so much pain.

Then, a mere 2 weeks prior, she had found out that the magic raging in her body was killing her, and unless she unleashed it, her body would fail under its power. But her shame and hatred of it were so strong, that even though the reasoning behind the blame were lost in the dusty boxes of her memory, the aversion was still so strong, that she chose death over the use of the magic.

So, when the hour that she could feel was to be her last struck, she calmly left the hospital, wanting to expire in a place of happy memory, rather than a drab hospital bed. She was sure that no one else knew that she was aware she was dying. She had always brushed it off, pretending she was stupid enough not to realize that her organs were failing, and she was spending more hours of the day in a coma rather then conscious. So, as the final minutes approached, she stood, leaning on a railing, overlooking the town she had grown up in, breathing the fresh, tart night air, and watching the stars wink happily down, her regrets all gone, and ready for the end. She was a little sad that the future she dreamed of would be lost, but she was just so tired, and ready for the suffering to end, it was but a mild, wistful thought, lighter then the autumn breeze around her.

But then HE had shown up, and screwed up her entire plan. Him, the one she had loved without knowing it for so long, that it was actually a surprise when she discovered that she did, and had, for so very long. He came, and made his position on her refusal to save herself irrevocably clear with a box cutter and the veins of his wrists. If she was going to kill herself, then he was going with her, because he did not want to live without her, knowing that he had failed in saving the woman he loved. She forgave him for the cheesiness of the lines, it was an emotional moment, and neither of them were thinking to clearly. As she cradled his sluggish body as his life flowed down her front and across the cold pavement, she could not stand it anymore, and all thought of herself, her mother, anyone but her dying love washed from her in the heat of his blood, and it clicked. All of her pent up magic furry rushed from her in a mad effort to repair the damage to the one she cherished. It was sloppy, and the scars left would mar his wrists for the rest of his life, but he survived, and so did she.

With underwear and a towel thrown over her arm, Asa returned to the bathroom, started the shower, ditched her panties and stood under the showerhead, letting the warm water soak into her hair and wake her up full. She was still slightly drunk of the sensation of not hurting anywhere in the morning, and a slight, embarrassed smile played across her lips as she though back to the drama of that night. The regenerative properties o the magical burst had apparently hit her as well, as, when the light cleared, and she saw that Rin Tsuchimi was alive, she had also grown more than a meter of hair. She was now washing this glorious length of irritating hair, deciding that she would keep it as a living symbol of the new her, and because, she liked the way it looked, after so many years with hair that didn't even hang past her chin, having it fall down past her ass was kind of interesting. What felt like 4 pounds of extra weight pulling on her head constantly was less pleasant, but she had gotten used to worse.

She sighed again as she thought of the worry Rin had caused her with that stunt, and she would make him pay for it. A double standard, to be sure, but she didn't care. It was a lady's prerogative to abuse a double standard here and there. But it would wait. In the mean time, she imagined he was suffering enough. Having missed a lot of work while she was malingering in the hospital, Rin had lost the apartment he had been renting, along with his job, and at Asa's calm, logical insistence, was again living at the Fuyou residence. He had had far more problem with this then Asa had, but she had a feeling it was a relief to all of them, not just herself, Kaede, and Primula, but Nerine, Sia, and the respective kings of Gods and Devils that he was back where he belonged, and was attempting to build a more equal footed relationship with his family. For Asa knew that was what it was. Kaede was far more important then just a childhood friend. She was the closest family he had had, and Asa had almost destroyed that when Rin and her had started dating. But Asa had been told, by Rin, that before he had agreed to move back in, (not that he had anywhere else to go) he and Kaede had had a long, frank talk, and now, if it was credible, they lived as happy roommates and family, where Rin pulled his fair share and Kaede no longer served him as if her were ... ... Hmmm... Asa could not even come up with an apt analogy for the way Kaede had fawned over him.

Granted, she could understand the devotion. She and Kaede had similar scale in their pasts, and the extreme stubbornness which they clung to their shame. When the pressure became unbearable, Asa had tried to die, and Kaede had temporarily slipped her clutches. Asa had not seen Kaede since she had left the hospital, and would need to talk to her, and soon. It was just...awkward. She was not afraid. Kaede was the sweetest, most amazingly kind person Asa had ever known, and was a cherished friend she did not want to lose. But, even if it was inadvertent, and unavoidable, Asa had still hurt one of her closest friends so very badly it made her own chest hurt when she thought about it. But still, out of fear, she wanted to wait until things with Her and Rin settled at home before she tried to force herself onto Kaede. But as it was, patience was not one of her mastered skills. She heaved a deep sight, and her bangs, wet and heavy, slapped her in the face, coving her eyes and trying to climb into her nose.

"Ack!" She exclaimed, and shook her head vigorously, to clear her eyes, before swiping her hand across her face. As the hand brushed clear, her mane of hair, thrown about in sopping streams, connected with her splayed fingers, and stuck. She jerked instinctively, only serving to tighten the tangles of hair on her fingers. She shook her hand to clear it, and only ended up slamming her knuckles into the wall. She yelped, and jerked the hand away to clutch to her chest, but the motion threw her off balance, and shifting her foot to correct, stepped on the soapy washcloth she had dropped when her hand first became tangled. Her heel shot out from under her, and she had a brief, terrifying moment of lift before gravity took over and drove her down. "AHHH!" She cried, falling hard on the left side of her ass. It hurt, terribly, and there was a pain at the rotator cuff in her pelvis where she had overextended when her leg flew out from under her. There was a knock at the door a second later. Her mother opened it, and looked in,

"A-Chan? I heard a loud thump. Are you okay?" Asa was sitting, one leg pulled up, completely tangled in her own hair, sniffling and looking angry. Ama smiled to stifle her laughter.

"Yeah." She said tersely. "I just got tangled in my stupid hair, and slipped." Now Ama actually giggled.

"You could trim it back to normal, A-chan." She said, coming in and offering a hand to help her daughter up.

"No. It's irritating, but I am going to keep it, for a while anyway." Ama smiled, clamping her daughter on a wet shoulder.

"That's good, sweetie. I think you look good with it. And, besides," she shifted to a conspiratorial whisper, "a lot of guys like the longer hair, because it gives them more to grip with." She smiled, and backed away, admiring how her girls face turned form a puzzled expression, to a mask of red as what she said was imagined. Ama, happy that all was well, returned to the kitchen to prep breakfast.

(...)

An hour later, fed, watered, and having managed to half dry and partially untangle her hair before time became an issue, Asa emerged from her home to find Kareha already waiting, her normal wispy smile already on her face. She fell into step beside her as they headed for Verbena Academy.

"Good morning, Asa." She said, her tone light and spacey, but not indicative of the very active mental processes going on behind the curtains of glittering golden hair. Kareha was pissed, it was true, but knew it would be unfavorable to look it, but Asa knew better. The reason, of course, was that, despite being her best friend for years, the whole "dying" episode had past, and Kareha had only learned of it AFTER it was over. A reasonable reason to be upset, it was true. But Kareha had not said anything about it, yet. She knew Asa was still recovering, and could wait a while before letting her displeasure be discussed. "How are you this morning."

"Well, my hair is a tangled mess, and my butt hurts." She said with a weary sight. Then knew she had erred the second she stopped speaking.

"My, my, my!" Kareha cooed excitedly, freezing in mid steep and glowing with an inner light. "A busy Sunday night with the boyfriend! Oh, Asa, I didn't know you were so bold." Asa was so used to this phenomenon that she hardly reacted. She simply waited for Kareha to pull out of her creative daze, and continued once she started walking again.

"Nope. I got tangled in my own hair, and fell in the shower. Look." Asa lifted the edge of her skirt high enough to show a long purple mark, already edged with yellow.

"Oh, that looks painful!" Kareha said with concern, and promptly probed it with a finger.

"OW!" Asa jumped sideways, and looked upset. "Damn!" She shivered as the pain passed, then shifted to serious. "Hey, Kareha, you know I am sorry, right? I didn't want to worry you, I just... had a lot going on." Kareha read the change of mood, and picked up the new track without a bobble.

"I know, Asa." She said, in a truly dour tone. "I understand. But I just cannot help thinking about if you actually had died... and I had never even had the chance to say goodbye... and just the thought hurts." This surprised Asa. She had expected Kureha to just bounce it off with a platitude, and retain her jovial attitude. She reached out and grabbed the blonde girls arm.  
"I am sorry, Kareha." The other smiled again.

"It's okay Asa. In a way, I am happy, because now I don't have to worry anymore. You seem so genuinely chipper, you're almost like a different person.

"I don't feel an different..." She replied, thinking, unconsciously bringing a finger to her mouth. "The only new thing is that I didn't have any pain this morning." Kareha clapped happily.

"See? After all that stubborn resistance, now you are all better, and I have my Asa to stay!" Asa grimaced.

"I know. After spending so many years fighting it, the more I think back, the more obvious it is how stupid I was. Urgh." She let out a strained, embarrassed and frustrated grunt. Kareha chuckled.

"Well, chin up, Asa, you lover awaits." Kareha said, her smirk in her voice, as she looked up to see Rin, Primula, and Kaede coming in from the opposite direction.

(...)

Asa had been careful, in the preceding week, not to be to girlfriend-y in public, as until things shook down into a calm environment, she did not want to burn any bridges. Partly, anyway. She was a tad nervous, being officially Rin's girlfriend now. She should not have been surprised, but neither Sia or Nerine were strictly giving up their own conquest, with Sia confidently stating that plural marriage was the norm in her world, and she had absolutely no problems with Asa. It was weird, flattering, and, if Sia's personality had been different, would have been irritatingly arrogant, but as it was, Asa took it as a compliment. Sia did have the experience to speak with authority, having three moms herself. Nerine was not as...energetic, always demure and kind, but with those giant, tragic eyes that just made Asa want to hug her. Kaede seemed okay, and was at least smiling when everyone was together.

They were making a habit out of hanging out in Ms. Benibara's class in the mornings, before the first bell, because Asa and Kareha, being a year older than the rest, were not on the same floor. But, with the warning bell, they still had plenty of time to reach their own class, and still get a chance to socialize with the rest of Rin's harem. It was such an accepted sentiment, that even Asa thought of it with that symbol now when thinking of the group as a whole.

Asa had fallen behind, as she had to deposit some good in the Home Ec. room for her club after school, an let the other proceed while she did. As she entered, she could hear Mayumi from the other side of the classroom, having already started her usually morning routine of broadcasting as if she were a T.V. News anchor.

"...comment on the situation, now that your initial choice has been made?" She asked, smiling for an imaginary camera, and holding an equally imaginary microphone up to Rin's face. He swatted wearily at her hand.

"Cut it out, Mayumi." He said, his voice lacking conviction, knowing it was futile. Asa moved into the circle, which contained Rin, Kaede, Sia, Nerine, Mayumi, Primula, Kareha, and Itsuki, and was jumped by Mayumi immediately, while the others waved lightly or smiled at Asa.

"Ah! And here we have her, the woman of the hour herself! Any words out there for the shocked fans who waited in breathless anticipation to find out which candidate was selected?" She let fly in a rapid fire assault of excited words.

"Uh..." Asa started, leaning back slightly under the pressure of Mayumi's personality. She turned away, facing no one, as she took Asa's grunt as an answer.

"And there you have it, folks, even the great Asa "The Shocking" Shigure is speechless and confused at the selection. We will continue to cover this development, and keep our loyal viewers posted!" Mayumi said, bowing in her traditional sign off.

"Wow, thanks for that, Mayumi." Asa said, sticking her tongue as the younger girl smiled happily.

"Anytime, Asa." Asa smiled back, and leaned to rest her weight on the desk behind her, when she hit her bruise, gasped, and righted herself.

"Asa, what's wrong?" Kaede asked, concern coloring her voice, and the others assembled giving similar comment. All except Kureha, who smiled mischievously, sensing a chance to have fun with the couple. She cut in before Asa could explain.

"Because of Rin, Asa's butt is sore."

Dead silence in the classroom. Rin, with a mildly distressed look pasted on his face, craned his head around, to see, that yes, everyone in the room had been listening.

"Kareha... everyone was listening when you said that..." He said, in a terse, halting voice. Even Asa, usually unshakable, was blushing now. Itsuki jumped in merrily and loudly, his finger raised in didactical form.

"Of course they were, Rin." His voice had the sweetness of wishing death upon him. "When you hog the affection of three of the most beautiful women in the school, 2 lovely Sempais, and a miniature beauty, it is quite evident that all around would be paying attention to your youthful indiscretions." He then remembered something, and added: "...Oh, and Mayumi was there, too." There was a loud cracking noise, and Itsuki's face froze in a look of horrible pain, and he collapsed into a chair.

"Aw, Midoriba, you tell the best jokes, Ha Ha Ha!" Mayumi said, a smile of manic pleasure frozen on her face, Each forced, powerful "ha" was its own breath, with a short pause between them. Asa, finally seeing her break, raised her fist to her mouth, and cleared her throat, finding her voice.

"Oh, no. It was nothing like that, Kareha. I just slipped in the shower, and bruised myself." Kareha smiled her disarming smile.

"Of course, Asa. You got tangled in your own hair, which is long because of Rin, therefore, it is his fault." Her tone, perfectly earnest and with a slight rising inflection, was just right to cast doubt upon the true statement. Asa, sensing the feel of the crowd, raised her hands.

"No, really, that is what happened. Look!" Asa knew that Kaede's fan club was still against Rin, and many other boys were still irritated about him holding the hearts of the other girls, and she did not want to instigate further hostility by making him look like a sex criminal too. So, she did the obvious thing, and lifted the hem of her skirt high enough to show the purple bruise.

Dead. Silence. Rin could do not but stare, mouth twitching in disbelief. Kaede looked horrified at the damage, Nerine glanced away with a slight blush, Sia looked concerned but interested, Primula dead panned, Kureha beamed, Itsuki revived, and was put down again, before Mayumi leaned way over, her face inches away, and looked amazed.

"Oh! Look!" She pointed. "You can kind of see the finger marks where he gripped!" Asa had not been particularly embarrassed until then, as the bruise was on her pelvic ridge, and not her true ass; her panties were not even showing. But that line caused her to flush red.

"Miss Shigure..." a strong female voice started with an implied heavy sigh, "why are you displaying your rear to my class?" All eyes in the room flicked to the previously unnoticed Ms. Benibara. She had a look of patient suffering on her pretty face, and one corner of her eye was twitching. Asa, recovering quickly, let her own spirit fix her embarrassment, buy passing it someone else. She dropped her skirt, and looked down and away, like she was shy, fingering the hem of her skirt. She gave a convincing sniffle.

"But... Rin insisted I do it..."

"Asa!" Rin shouted, but froze, paralyzed as Ms. Benibara's eyes rolled over him like a tank over a single defiant flower.

"Tsuchimi." She said, her voice a dead level calm. "I'd like a word with you, after class." The words were normal, but had the air of an execution behind them. Further discussion was cut off as the warning bell rang. Asa gave Rin a wink, and left with Kureha. She would stop in at break, and get him off the hook, but she did have fun playing with him."

(...)

The final bell for the day had rung 5 minutes earlier, and Asa, entrenched in the Home Ec. room, flitted about, trying to decide what she felt like cooking today. Kareha was there, she was waiting for Tsubomi, who was staying for club activities of her own, and preferred Asa's company to alone time, when she didn't have work. The only student in the room was a first year named... Miki-Chan, and she was still getting out the ingredients she had brought from home. The door opened, and Rin walked in, throwing himself down on a stool across the counter from Asa, who smiled.

"Thanks a lot, Asa." She looked innocent.

"Oh? For talking Ms. Beni down and getting you out of trouble?" He sighed.

"Trouble that you got me into in the first place." She smiled coyly.

"Oh? I thought you liked my spunk?" She arched a brow. "Would you prefer some demure, timid little me? You'd be all like "Oh, Asa-san!"" She made a gruff imitation of his voice, looking faux serious. "You must give me your bloomers, so that I may eat them!" and I would clap my hands to my face and look away shyly, blushing and twirling my hips." Asa mimicked what she described as she said it, even managing to give a slight blush. Rin looked stupefied. Hehe, when would he learn to just ignore these bursts. Reacting just kept her going. "But no, that's not me. If you wanted to eat my panties, I would serve them to you on a silver platter!" She said expansively, then tucked her hands over her skirt, and stood smiling at him.

That was, of course, the moment that Rin noticed the silver platter sitting on the countertop at his left elbow, covered in a hemisphere serving cover. He then picked up on the glitter in Asa's eyes, and the suspicious way she had her hands clasped over the general region of her crotch over her skirt. His eyes traced the triangle between dish, hands and her eyes four times before he tried to speak.

"Asa... you didn't put your..." Her smile widened.

"Of course not!" She said, happily. "See?" She lifted the hem of her skirt, showing just him, the unmistakable white patch of cloth concealing her modesty." Rin sighed heavily, and Asa came around the table.

"Ugh. Now that were dating, you're going to tease me even more than before, aren't you?" She smiled, and leaned over as he reached out to lift the serving cover.

"Oh, yes." She said, with a happy giggle. "The only real difference will be..." She leaned even further, her mouth pressing close to his ear. He had just reached the handle of the serving cover, and lifted the lid clear. Under it, laying folded neatly on a bed of crisp green lettuce, was an unmistakable patch of cloth, light pink, in strawberry print. A 3x5 index card was propped upright on the lettuce, the characters spelling "Pantsu Salad" printed neatly and facing him. "...that now, sometimes, I won't be teasing." She whispered in his ear in a husky voice. He looked at the dish for a moment, then back at Asa, a light blush in his cheeks at her sheer temerity.

"Asa... sometimes, you can be quite frightening." She closed one eye and stuck out the tip of her tongue7. She giggled before she spoke.

"I know, but you still love me for it." Rin, looking tired, gave a half smile.

"Yes. Yes I do." He replaced the serving cover, as Asa smiled so widely she thought her face might tear open. She still got the warm, sharp rise in the pit over her stomach when he admitted it.

"So, what's up?" She asked, when she had regained her composure.

"Nothing. I'm just going to the store with Kaede on the way home. I have a couple of years of being a useless freeloader to work off, and she's letting me carry everything she wants to buy."

"Hehe, I knew Kaede would eventually learn to take advantage of you." He nodded.

"Yep. It just took a while." Asa leaned back against the counter Rin was sitting at, and crossed her arms over her chest.

"So, then, if you're going with Kaede, why are you here?" Rin leaned back on the stool, and scratched his cheek, looking disinterested.

"I just wanted to see you before I left." Asa was pleased. Very pleased. She pushed off the counter with her waist, and leaned in as Rin stood up. He then tentatively leaned forward, and gave her a quick peck on the lips, turned, and exited. Asa, not completely contented, turned her attention back to the first year.

"Alright, Miki-chan." Asa smiled, picked up her platter, plopped it down in front of the startled looking girl. "Here's the item for today. Got everything you need?" The girl looked from Asa's unreadable smile, to the closed dish and then back. With slightly shaking hands, she moved to remove her own panties, before Asa stopped her. "No, no, sorry. I was just kidding. Sorry, I am all bubbly today." She said, raising her hands to stop the girls movements. She then looked admiringly at the girl. "But, I do say, I like your daring. Anyway, you wanted to make a cake today, yes?" The girl looked visibly relieved.

"Yes, Asa-Sempai." So, Asa began to instruct the girl in the proper setup and worked until the girl was at a point where she could function independent of direct supervision. She had made Miki-Chan do all the actual work herself, while Asa assisted if she veered to off course. The girl was capable, and didn't need too much prodding. Asa moved over to Kareha, who was browsing a magazine. She leaned her chest on the counter, crossing her arms in front to hold herself up.

"So, Kareha, what do you want? I was thinking, and I have no idea why, that waffles sound awesome right now."

"Works for me." She said, not looking up. Asa pushed herself up, and went about getting out and setting up what she needed. She had to stop and help Miki-Chan once, but it was more a philosophical then physical problem involving flavor. As Asa got the food cooking, she sat across from Kareha, and lay her head on her arms.

"Say, Asa..." Kareha said, with a grin that hinted at her thoughts, "What would you have done if Rin-kun had taken you up on your offer? And in that case... do guys actually eat our underwear?" Asa giggled.

"Hehe, I don't really know if they do." She turned to the first year. "Miki-Chan? Do you know if boys will really eat a woman's underwear if given the chance?"

"No, Asa-Sempai!" She answered a little too forcefully, having been startled out of her concentration. She was not used to upperclassmen seeking her opinion on things. She flushed at the odd look Asa was giving her, and continued, having been in the Cooking Club long enough to know that in this kingdom, Asa was a very casual ruler. "But... my boyfriend has never really expressed an interest in eating them to me..." He tone implied that she wasn't sure if she was relieved or hurt by this.

"Ah, well, there are good odds that Itsuki was speaking just for himself, then." The first year looked at her curiously, not comprehending. "Midoriba Itsuki" Asa clarified, and the small girl nodded in grave recognition. A large percentage was aware of Itsuki, though overall sentiment was about even on how much of a threat he posed.

"If I may ask..." Miki started shyly, and Asa tried not to give a weary sigh. In her kitchen, all the stuffy upper and lower class stuff inhibited the learning, so she tried her best to get it out of the way. But, it was such an ingrained thing, and so labored in the outside school, that first years, especially the shy ones, found it hard to break the habit while in the club.

"Of course you may, Miki-chan. In this area, I am only an instructor in the art and sciences of cooking. Be as informal as you like." The little first year looked as if such a thing were beyond her willpower.

"Um... that was your boyfriend, right? He looked kind of familiar... what was his name?"

"Tsuchimi Rin" Asa Answered easily, and the girls eyes widened.

"The same Tsuchimi-Sempai that the Princesses of the Gods and Devils are in love with, and that the fans of Fuyou Kaede-Sempai are mortally opposed to!?"

"Yup!" Asa chirped happily.

"Hey, Now. You cannot forget Primula, Mayumi, Tsubomi, and myself, either, Asa." Kareha pitched in. Miki looked shocked, and returned to her work. There were enough people out to get Tsuchimi that she did not want to get into it.

"About that, Kareha..." Asa started, trying to figure out how she was going to broach this. She had a sort of plan, but she wasn't quite sure it was a good one. "You mentioned before that you might try to win over Rin as well. Were you really serious?" Kareha's omnipresent smile vanished, and she looked as serious as Asa had ever seen,

"Asa, you know in my world, plural marriage is common. I would not dislike being married with you as a sister wife." Asa was, for one of the few times in her life, completely speechless. A mix of confusion, awkward pure embarrassment, and flattery spun in her head, and left her thunderstruck. She did love Kareha; she had been Asa's closest friend for almost as long as there had been a stable link between the worlds of man and gods. They had made friends almost 10 years earlier, when gods and devils first began entering the human world after agreements were reached with the then fairly unknown and striking Kings. Even though Asa had been so ill back then that she was missing more school then she was attending, Kareha's friendly, slightly spacey personality was a good fit with Asa's energetic and boisterous one. Many a pain stricken day had passed, with Asa crippled in bed, and Kureha simply there for her in the times between waves of disabling swirls of agony.

But even with the closeness of their relationship, to hear her say in all seriousness that she would not be opposed to being married with her hit her in a way she had not know she was vulnerable for. And, if she was really honest with herself...no, no, Asa could not think about that yet. She could not even think of single, usual type marriage seriously yet.

Instead, her entire face turned red, from her ear down to her collarbones, and she thought she could actually see the wavy heat she was generating. She held her fist up and coughed, trying to get her voice under control.

"*cough cough* Anyway, like I was saying, you are off Sunday? Well, you know I want... no, need to talk with Kaede, to see where we stand. But I want to talk to her alone, with no worry of getting interrupted, and things getting worse." Sympathy flooded into her friends eyes and light smile.

"Aw... Asa, I don't think you need to worry. I don't know her as well as you, but I cannot imagine that Kaede can hate _anyone_, much less you." Asa, who knew about the way Rin and her related prior to when Kaede had petitioned her to learn to cook well, smiled a bit sadly. True, Kaede was sweet and kind to all, but she could be angry as well.

"I know what you mean, but I didn't just sting her. When Rin started dating me, the whole world she was living in collapsed. It's my fault, and I want her to forgive me, but even if she can't, I still want to try. Kaede was a treasured friend even before I started getting to know Rin."

"I think you may be a little to eager to accept the blame." Kareha replied after a few seconds of contemplation. Asa shook her head with a small smile.

"If it was anyone else I was talking about, I would agree. But I knew full well when we started dating how she felt, even though she couldn't admit it. Kareha, she's loved him for longer then I've known him, and I knew it full well, as well as why she was the way she was toward him. I should have talked to her, because as my friend, she deserved better then I gave her." Kareha still seemed doubtful, but conceded so that Asa could continue.

"I was thinking, that since you were off, that I could ask Rin to take you out and about, so that I could try and talk to Kaede." She looked at Asa for a solid minute, her jovial attitude not back in place, as she thought about it.

"Well... truthfully I wouldn't mind. And Tsubomi would love it to. I meant it, too, when I said she has a bit of a crush on him as well. And she's young, but thankfully she hasn't picked up this worlds disgusting marriage taboos." Asa was taken aback for a second. She had never heard Kareha be that openly derisive of anything before. Although, when it came to her younger sister, she was a tad forceful in her protection. Asa decided shakily that this was not a conversation she was ready to have right now, and turned it back to the point at hand.

"So then, if I can get him to take you two out, you'll go?" Kareha smiled at Asa in a warm fashion that made Asa feel better about their relationship then she had since Kareha had found out she almost died.

"Yeah, that would be fun. Thanks." Asa almost, ALMOST asked if Kareha would try something, but she trusted both Rin and Kareha more than her insecurity controlled her. Kareha gave her a sly grin. "And don't worry so much, Asa. I won't do anything too... provocative, and while I cannot speak for Tsubomi, I won't let her go too far overboard." Asa tried to look as if that had not been what she was just thinking.

'Oh, I am not worried about that." Kureha simply continued to smile.

(...)

It was Saturday afternoon, school was out, and Asa, dressed for the street, was feeling sublimely happy, walking down Sunshine Alley, fingers of her left hand laced with her love's right. They were not doing anything in particular, just walking, and enjoying being together. They had each gone home to change after the half day of school, and then he had picked her up and they had just been wandering quietly for about an hour.

"Hey, Asa?" Rin said, snapping her out of her pleasant reverie.

"Yes?" she asked, taking the opportunity to press up against him. He scratched at his cheek, and looked a little uncomfortable.

"Remember Monday? You tried to feed me an... unusual item?" He was so cute when he was embarrassed, and it made her grin.

"I most certainly do. You defamed me by not eating what I prepared, and not even trying to swipe them to use later." She said, giggling after. He ignored her suggested slight, but blushed a slight bit at the inference.

"Well... um... I was wondering... were those by any chance the same ones I saw when I happened to have accidently caught you changing that first day you ever invited me to the Home Ec. room?"

Asa was frozen, her face a mask of shock. For the first time since Rin had hurt himself to make Asa save herself she was completely flabbergasted. Rin was looking at her strangely.

"Asa? Are you okay?" There was real concern in his voice. She tried to regain her composure, but she was too off balance.

"Y-y-you... you remember that!?"

"Um... yes?" He was a bit nervous at her reaction. That helped stabilize her. She gripped the hem of her skirt as an attempt to anchor herself.

"Wow... I didn't even remember that until you pointed it out. They were! They are the spare I keep at school, just in case I have a serious spill during the club." She narrowed her eyes into a playful suspicion. "Do you really enjoy my underwear that much?" He smiled back a little shyly.

"It's not so much the underwear, as who is wearing them." Asa's eyes widened a fraction. He was going to play with her back? That was... unprecedented. He used to only get exasperated or ignore her when she teased him before. In a way, that was almost as flattering as remembering the first time he had seen her panties vividly enough to remember the exact pair. But, Asa had been practicing her playful act for years. He could not beat her.

"Oh? So then, you must have REALLY enjoyed it when you walked in on me in the bathroom last year." She put her finger to her lips and looked upward, like she was trying to remember something difficult. "If... I... Recall... Correctly... when you walked in, I was not wearing my panties anymore." His eyes were practically glowing; she had won. She hugged his arm, and kissed his cheek. "It's okay. I figured out later that it was good for me, too." It took him a few minutes of quiet walking to regain his composure.

"Hey, Rin, are you busy tomorrow?" She tried to sound as casual as she could.

"Not particularly. Why?" She giggled. He was still nervous.

"Relax, Rin, it's nothing to taxing. I was wondering if you wouldn't mind taking Kureha and Tsubomi out for the day tomorrow."

"Kareha-Sempai and Tsubomi-Chan?" He said it suspiciously.

"Yeah. It's not any kind of trap. I just have felt bad about how I kept Kureha in the dark about what was going on when I was in the Hospital, and she's off tomorrow, and Tsubomi has been asking to get a chance to hang out with you." She gave him a supportive squeeze, making sure to get her boobs on his arm. It distracted him, and she did not want him to ask her about what she was planning to do.

"Are you sure you're okay with that?"

"Of course!" She answered without hesitation. "Kareha is at least as important to me, and Kaede is to you. She was really hurt that I didn't tell her I was dying, and I want to do something nice for her." He was still hesitant, but accepted.

"Well, if you are okay with it, I won't argue." Asa gave him one of her sunniest smiles.

"Thanks, Rin. Really." She put a touch of grave emphasis on the last word, and squeezed his arm tighter. In a surprising move, he wiggled free, and threaded his arm over her shoulder. She blushed ever so slightly, not used to him taking the initiative like that, but leaned into it, and walked happily with her love.

"Hey.. Asa, Isn't that Ama-Sama?" Asa looked around, and was surprised to see that they were much farther up the road then they had been. She had been lost in a happy fog for at least a few minutes. And sure enough, a little ways ahead, Asa mother was walking casually through the sparse afternoon crowds, a trio of shopping bags clenched in each of her slender hands. "Shall we say hello?" Rin asked. Asa gave him a fake pout, sticking out her lip in a way that was cute, rather than genuine.

"Oh? Are you that anxious to let go of me?" She raised her right arm and waved, shouting. "Hey, Mom! Hi!" Ama turned to find her very pleased looking daughter wrapped across the shoulders by her boyfriend. As they pulled close, Rin withdrew his arm, and held out a hand.

"Hello, Ama-Sama. Can I take those for you?" She smiled as Rin took her bags.

"Oh ho? Hello, Ricchan, A-chan." Once Rin had all the bags, her expression clouded slightly. She pinched his arm.

"Ricchan! What did I say about that?" She chided him, and he gave her a slightly sheepish grin.

"S-sorry, er... Ama-san." He smile returned to normal, and she nodded.

"I'm not interrupting a date, am I? I can take all the stuff if you kids are busy."

"Oh, no, it's fine, mom. We were just out for a walk, to wind down after school." She then glommed on to Rin's arm. "Besides, Rin has a few years of pent up chivalry he needs to work off." Ama's brows rose ever so slightly.

"Oh? Then I cannot let him go unrewarded." And with that, she glommed onto Rin's other free arm, matching her daughters hold, oblivious to the death stares the single males in the crowd were giving Rin, assaulted on each side by sleek young woman. They began to march him away.

"Rin, you're going to eat at my house tonight aren't you?" Asa asked, with a slight air that said that this was not a request, but an edict.

"Oh?" He mother said, leaning forward to look across Rin's chest to her daughter. "Kae-chan isn't cooking for him anymore?" Ama, who had sought Rin's help in saving her daughter, was well aware of what went on with Rin and Kaede.

"No, she still cooks, but today she is out with Sia and Nerine, so Rin is on his own." Ama looked almost surprised.

"Really? That's unusual."

"Not anymore." Rin said, realizing he wasn't getting out of this now, and warming to the inevitable. "Now that she is forcing herself to ease up where I am concerned, she's been going out with the others, or doing things with Primula, and other things that high school girls do. It's refreshing to see her actually doing things." He did not need to say that Kaede, on the off chance that Rin might possibly need something, would have waited all night without err to do it. In a way, they had both used what Rin had done as a crutch to assuage the guilt they both felt.

Very well, then." Ama said, and then giggled mischievously, seeming more like a teenage then her daughter. "We'll take you home, and stuff you so full that you might just need to let A-Chan put you to bed herself." Her voice hadn't shifted as much as an octave, but she still managed to ooze the words with such innuendo that Asa's cheeks lit up like signal lamps and Rin became inarticulate in his speech. The tension lasted only a few seconds, before Asa began to laugh, and the other two joined in as they walked, chest to arm to chest to arm toward the Shigure house.

(...)

"Whoa, whoa! Hey! Hey Kaede! Look at this!" Sia shouted, her reddish hair flying as she swung her head back and forth, heedless of the other people in the clothing store. Nerine, looking up curiously, wove through the racks of clothes, not wanting to miss what had gotten Sia so twitter pated. She arrived on Kaede's, looking uncomfortable at the ruckus, heels. Sia pointed animatedly. "Look! Who's that girl hanging on Rin's arm?" Kaede, a little shocked, looked out the window at the threesome departing. On his right arm, Asa hung, her long green hair shimmering in the afternoon sun, hanging almost to her knees. On his left was a slender blonde, most of her hair hidden in a large white hat with cat ears. She felt a small pang in her chest, but managed a genuine smile too. It was so very like them.

"Oh, that's Ama Shigure-san." Sia and Nerine, eyes wide, looked at each other, and then to Kaede in slight panic.

"WHAT!" There twin shout was loud enough to startle the other customers, and cause the staff member to cast a dubious look their way, only to be ignored.

"Why didn't you ever tell us Asa-San had a gorgeous little sister!" They had gotten a look, as Ama had turned her head, a radiant smile making her look closer to 155 then her right age. And now, with Asa's hair long, she looked even more like a younger sister then before. Kaede gave a conciliatory smile.

"And the way she's clinging to him... do we have even more competition now?" Nerine said, drearily.

"Oh, no." Kaede said, holding up her hands and waving them side to side slightly. "Ama-San isn't Asa's little sister. She's Asa's mother." Sia looked dumbstruck, but Nerine seemed less affected. Not surprising, as Nerine's own mother looked more like a little sister to Nerine then a mother, as well. She could have passed for a twin that was just shrunk slightly in all dimensions, and a little more so in a few choice places. "They are probably just having Rin over for dinner, nothing sinister. We used to go to Asa's all the time when we were in middle school." Kaede said, a wistful smile on her face. She locked her eyes on the retreating figures for a second longer, wonder why she felt okay, and turned away. "Hey, guys, come see. I saw what I think was a cute dress before I was called over, and I want to see what you think." And Kaede turned and walked back into the depths of the store.

**End 1**

**Alright, ending this here. Was going to be a one shot when I started, but about half way to here, I decided I could stretch it into 2, 3, or 4 parts. I always liked Asa best, and granted, this was before I realized I have a bias toward characters Monica Rial voices, and once I got into the visual Novels "Shuffle" and "Really? Really!" the opinion held. So, as I am doing this, I will be taking some of the Anime, and bits and pieces from the visual novel when building the background. Anyway, if anyone see this, home it gives at least half a chuckle. If not, well, it felt good anyway, and thanks for taking the time to look.**


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